Masqurade
by Treta Aysel
Summary: Alexander and Eliza both were invited to a masqurade, but instead of going together they decide to have their own fun with it.


**Masquerade:**

Eliza adjusted her mask as the carriage rolled to a stop.

The door opened and she stood, her fingers curling around her white skirts. She took the footman's hand, disembarking. Her gaze lifted and she saw a sea of guests in all sorts of masks before her. She would easily blend in with her swan mask. Taking a deep breath, smile on her face as she joined the crowd.

Brown eyes widened as she made her way up to the manor. It was bigger than expected and more people than she thought there would be. "There sure are a lot of people here tonight," she commented as she glanced around.

Nearby, a woman dressed in a matching teal gown and mask giggled. She waved her hand at Eliza. "Of course, there are. This masquerade is the biggest event of the season, I would be shocked if it wasn't this crowded."

A moment of silence passed as Eliza stood there before she gave the woman a smile and nodded her head, bidding her a quick farewell as they stepped inside the manor. She had a point. She had been surprised when she and Alexander had been invited to the masquerade but the two of them had accepted right away.

She pursed her lips, glancing around. Alexander was somewhere in the sea of people that lay before her. She didn't know where he was or what he was wearing. They had even decided to come separately.

Eliza pushed her way through the crowd, catching snippets of conversations. She was trying to listen for Alexander's voice. She might not have known how he was dressed but she knew his voice. She had to be careful.

So far, none of them were Alexander.

She reached the table and her reward, a flute of champagne. She glanced around, moving to mix into the crowd once more, taking sips of her drink. Her ears still trained on the conversations around her.

As she finished her champagne, she froze. Nearby, a voice made her stop in her tracks. It sounded exactly like Alexander's. She quickly passed off her champagne glass on the nearest servant before picking up her skirts and moving deeper within the crowd. Perhaps she was being paranoid.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Blinking, Eliza looked over her shoulder and seeing a young man standing there, a hand held out to her. "Yes?" She asked softly, glancing over him. He was dressed in a brown suit and a matching brown mask.

"May I have this dance?"

Eliza smiled at the man in front of her, studying him for a long moment. Her gaze met his green eyes that were behind his mask. They weren't the same ones she peered into every morning and night. It wasn't Alexander. She quickly peered at the grandfather clock that was in the room. She still had three hours and a dance wouldn't hurt. "I would love to," she replied as she took his hand and was led out onto the dance floor.

The two of them spun around the floor as he smiled at her. "Thank you for dancing with me, Miss."

"Call me Eliza."

He nodded as he spun her around in time to the music. "It's nice to meet you, Eliza. I'm Daniel."

The two of them danced for a while longer before the song changed. Eliza thanked Daniel for the dance before she glanced over. She saw a man talking to a woman, but the man seemed to be staring at her. She quickly turned away and tried to push through the crowd of people.

Was it Alexander?

Was her mind playing tricks on her?

She glanced around seeing the crowd thinning out as she got closer to two large French doors. Peering out, she noticed a garden. Smiling, she pushed opened the door and stepped foot outside and glanced around. A few people were here and there, but there wasn't too many. The gardens would be a perfect place to hide.

Hearing footsteps behind her, she quickly dashed behind the hedges.

/

This all had been Eliza's idea.

They had received an invitation to one of the most popular balls and instead of going together, Eliza suggested that they arrived separately. He would have until midnight to try and find her.

He had dressed in the perfect mask for the occasion, a hunter.

He had come straight from work, not knowing how or what Eliza was dressed as.

He stood on the outside of the crowd of people, eyeing all the women. Some of them he knew immediately weren't her but anyone with her frame and hair color, he gave a second glance. As he eyed one woman, a young woman came up to him. "Excuse me, sir."

He tried to tear his gaze away, long enough to look at the woman who was speaking to him. "Yes, miss?"

She giggled, waving her hands dismissively at him. "Oh please, my name's Maggie."

"_Call me Eliza." _

Before Alexander could respond to Maggie, he heard Eliza's voice. He looked past people and saw the woman dressed in white that he had been eyeing. It had to be Eliza. There could be no other reason why he was so drawn to her in the way that he was.

"Sir?" Maggie's voice came again, taking her hand in his.

Alexander glanced back at the woman, giving her a half smile. "I'm sorry. I would ask you to dance but there is somewhere I need to be." As he spoke, he glanced up to see the woman in white walking by as the music ended.

Maggie gave him a sad smile as she withdrew her hand from his, nodding once. "I understand, thank you."

He looked up, seeing her figure getting farther and farther away.

He followed her where he could, finding himself out in the gardens.

Where did she go?

He frowned as he looked around. There were people scattered about, but he didn't see Eliza anywhere.

The clock chimed eleven.

Eliza peered out from her hiding spot from behind the hedge. She could see the figure getting farther and farther away from her hiding spot. She couldn't help but grin. She just had to get past Alexander and make her way to the carriage and home.

She pulled herself back, hearing his boots getting close to her spot once again. She sat there on the ground until she could hear the clacking of his boots fading away.

This was her chance.

Eliza pushed herself up on the ground, gathering her skirts in her hand and made a dash for the doors that led back inside the manor.

/

Alexander had paced up and down in front of the same hedge twice now. He had thought she had come out into the garden, but he hadn't seen her. Perhaps she was behind the fountain that was at the end of the path. Not saying a word, he got closer to the fountain when he heard the clicking of heels behind him.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw her on the run from him once again.

He couldn't help the grin that appeared on his face as he began to chase after her.

/

Breathless, Eliza made her way back to the carriage, waking the driver. She climbed back inside without any assistance. "Take me home, _now." _

"Yes, Mrs. Hamilton." The driver nodded as the carriage began rolling away from the masquerade.

/

He had chased her all the way through the party, almost knocking down a few people.

Glancing around, he stood on the steps of the manor, not seeing her. She was probably on her way home now.

He made his way to the carriage he arrived in, nodding to the driver. "We're headed home, now."

"Of course, Mr. Hamilton."

/

Eliza let out a sigh of relief as she entered the house. Alexander wasn't home yet. Brown eyes looked up at the clock, seeing what time it was when she came home. She still had some time, but she wasn't sure if Alexander had followed her home.

After a moment or two, she began to make her way upstairs.

Halfway there, the door opened, and she froze. He had come home as well.

Eliza glanced back at him as he began up the stairs after her. A giggle escaped her lips as she dodged out of the way, finishing her way up the stairs, shutting the door to the bedroom behind her. She leaned against it as her eyes searched the clock in the room, seeing what time it was. She only had to hold out another minute to win the game.

"Eliza!" She could hear Alexander's voice outside, still pressing against the door as she watched the clock. As soon as the clocked chimed midnight, she let go of the door and Alexander stumbled into the room, an unreadable expression on his face.

She turned back to him, grinning still as she made her way over to him. "I win," she told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned in and placed a kiss on his lips. Alexander blinked before grinning, his arms snaking around her waist and pulling her close to place another kiss onto her lips.

"I know," he murmured between kisses. "And I'm certainly not complaining."

**AN: I had originally had wanted to get this up in October but my friend got married in early November so my life in October until the wedding was Maid of Honor duties. Hope you all are well!**


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